Wood stud frame walls of buildings or other structures include a longitudinally-extending cap piece at the top (typically two 2 by 4's), a longitudinally-extending sole plate at the bottom (typically one 2 by 4), and a continuous run of upstanding studs (typically 2 by 4's) interconnecting the cap piece and sole plate. Such walls are typically used in modular or prefab construction, new “on-site” construction and/or in the walls of already-existing homes or other buildings or structures.
A portion of one or more studs is usually cut-out of the wood stud frame to provide an opening thereinthrough to receive a window. The portion remaining above the opening of the one or more studs that have been cut is no longer capable of bearing loads, and a longitudinally-extending header (typically two 2 by 6's or 2 by 8's), connected thereto and to the longitudinally-adjacent uncut studs, is employed to distribute the load to the adjacent studs. A longitudinally-extending bottom piece (typically two 2 by 4's) is connected to the portion of the one or more cut studs remaining below the opening and to the longitudinally-adjacent uncut studs.
A window box is mounted in the opening provided by the header and bottom piece at each location in the wood stud frame wall where window receiving openings have been provided. Typically, the window box includes a casing by which it is attached to the wood stud frame wall when it is mounted in the opening, and a sash, sill and weather-stripping; one or more shims may be employed between the bottom piece and the window box to provide proper alignment.
Not only is the load bearing capability of the studs impaired and structural modifications to the frame required to provide support for each opening that receives a window box, but also, once a window box is inserted into an opening, the natural insulation properties of the wood stud frame wall are lost and there is heat loss between the window box/support interface.